- - back up water
(http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/water-chemistry/back-up-water-3853/)

musho3210

03-04-2007 07:05 PM

back up water

Heres my plan

use an empty 10 gallon tank, fill with RO water and salt, mix it up, add a heater and set to desired temp and add some air stones and pumps.

This way when my main tank needs water, i can quickly just take the water out in a bucket and dump it out, then take the water from the 10 gallon tank and use it.

Will this work? The 10 gallon could also be used as an immediate quarantine tank if possible.

trreherd

03-04-2007 08:08 PM

ya the water should have time to sit for a few days before putting it in the tank anyway, ov course with a powerhead. Dont let is sit for too long thought because i think something funny can hapen with the ph and the ions ect.

musho3210

03-04-2007 08:12 PM

would an airstone be ok in place of a powerhead?

caferacermike

03-04-2007 08:18 PM

Mush what is "back up water"? If you mean make up water, the water you add due to evaporation, please keep in mind that water does not need salt in it. Salt does not evaporate. Now if you are talking about water for water changes, I'd completely skip the 10g tank for a 20g heavy duty trash can. Especially nice are the "Brute" cans from Rubbermaid with the wheels on the bottom. I have one that I added a bulkhead and valve to so that when I'm done mixing the water, I just put a bucket under the valve and let the water fill the bucket. It's a lot cleaner then dipping the bucket and dripping water everywhere.

musho3210

03-04-2007 08:20 PM

back up water is just water that i need to use fast and where i dont need to mix salt, airate, wait a while before using, just water that is there for my disposal, for water changes and emergancies.

i thought it would be good since its a way where i can get the correct SG as well as the temperature so i can fix the problems before it goes in my tank

caferacermike

03-05-2007 06:31 AM

Well keeping it in a 10g open container allows it to become contaminated. Round these parts folks mix up hundreds of gallons at a time in large nylon tubs. Like what farmers use to store water and fertilizer in. In your case I'd probably get the smallest they make, maybe a 25g (?), and just make sure it's always full of mixed water. Leave a powerhead in the bottom and it'll be fine. They are sealed containers so dust and such won't settle in your water. But it only takes a few minutes to throw 10g together.

AF_medic

03-05-2007 11:44 AM

it's alot like "aging" water. I keep freshwater discus, and alot of people that keep discus will age their water for awhile before they actually use it in their tanks. like he said, keep it covered, keep it circulated, it's better for the fish that way, blows off CO2 that is naturally in tap water, allows chlorine to evaporate with out additives (but not chloramines) and it's also useful if you use RO water. those systems usually don't pump out water fast enough, so people just store it in barrels or what not. make it every once in awhile in big quantities, instead of little bit each time for every water change.

but, most of my experience is with freshwater, we do alot more water changes. especially with discus. have fun!